How Far Is Too Far
by Strangehearts047
Summary: Five years after the war has ended, can old friendships be rekindled, or have the former soccer mates grown too far apart? Rated M for later chapters. HitsugayaKarin
1. Chapter 1 Why?

Title: How Far Is Too Far?

Rating: M

Summary: Five years after the war has ended, can old friendships be rekindled, or have they drifted too far apart?

Pairing: Hitsugaya/Karin

A pair of sandaled feet landed silently on the streetlight, not even disturbing the moths whizzing frantically around the bulb. The figure of a shinigami standing tall, his white captain's robe fluttering around him, was silhouetted against the night sky. Blue-green eyes, half-shrouded by their owner's lids, glanced around the dark streets for signs of life. Nothing. The death god sighed, letting his silver hair fall over his face. He let his eyes drift across the rooftops and trees around him, this time actually allowing himself to absorb the scene.

Karakura Town. He hadn't been here in five years. The last time he'd seen these familiar streets, he was fighting Aizen alongside Ichigo and Rukia. In that time, Ichigo and his friends had all gone off to college. Most were modest universities, although Ishida had gone all the way to Harvard on the other side of the world. He'd always been pretentiously intelligent. And Rukia, well, she hadn't been fighting much since she and Renji had had their first child – a girl named Aiko. The baby had caused quite a stir among the higher-ups. A birth in Soul Society was unheard of. But the girl had grown quickly and was strong for her age, though constantly coveted by the Bureau of Research and Development, to be sure.

It was just him and Matsumoto now. His lieutenant had been as excited as ever to hear about their trip to the human world, though he suspected she was more enthusiastic to be reunited with her shops and boutiques than to be fighting Hollows. Hitsugaya thought back to his briefing on the mission.

"_You wanted to see me, sir?" _ _the 10__th__ Squad captain said as he was ushered through the doors of the General-Commander's meeting room. The elderly man looked up, surrounded by the aura of formality that was typical in his captains' meetings._

"_When was the last time you went to the human world, Captain Toushirou?" Yamamoto asked, fingering his long beard._

"_During the war. I was sent to protect Karakura Town with Kurosaki Ichigo." Hitsugaya watched the General-Commander carefully,waiting for an explanation to this strange line of questioning. Would he be going to the human world again?_

"_It's good that you're familiar with that area. That's why you were chosen, in fact."_

"_Has something happened in Karakura Town?" he asked quickly, his mind instantly flashing to the reason why Aizen had been after that specific place. The one area in the world with such concentrated spirit energy that it could fuel the creation of another King's Key. Could someone else be targeting it?_

"_Not yet, but there has been some strange Hollow activity lately. I want you to investigate and report back to me as soon as possible. It may be nothing, but one can never be too sure. Take as many people as you need, but remember, this is a reconnaissance mission. We don't want to drag Kurosaki out of his studies, now, do we?"_

"It's exciting to be in the human world again, isn't it, Captain?" Matsumoto's playful voice interrupted his musings. The lieutenant glanced around the streets, quickly spotting all of her favorite shopping spots. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. Always the same with that woman.

"You don't seem happy to be back. Aren't you glad to be getting some real practice instead of those boring drills they give us at Soul Society?" She made a pout with her lips and tousled his hair, only earning an exasperated sigh from the captain.

"We have a job to do. And right now, all the stores are closed, so I suggest we find a place to stay." Matsumoto sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

"You're no fun now that you're all grown up and tall." It was true. He had grown in the last five years. In fact, he was now at a much more manly 6', compared to his previous height of 4'4". He had to admit, it was nice not to be getting whiplash looking up at his subordinates. But at the same time, he also had to be more serious about his duties than ever. There had been quite a few rebellions in the last few years of surviving arrancar who had managed to keep themselves hidden during the final fight and weren't thrilled at having their leader taken away. He'd spent most of his spare time refining his abilities to maintain his Bankai for longer periods of time. Many of the captains were letting themselves get lax, but not him. He would always be ready for battle. If not, any casualties would be on his head.

"Well, where are we supposed to stay?" Matsumoto sighed, looking up and down the avenue. "All of our old friends have gone off to school."

"Urahara's still here."

"Ooh, not him. That redheaded kid that's always with him annoys me to no end. What about Kurosaki Isshin? He's still around, isn't he?" Hitsugaya pondered the suggestion for a moment. The old captain had gone into hiding in the human world for years after the death of his wife. He'd only come back to his duties as a shinigami during the war, and even then, only temporarily. Once the threat had been put down, he'd let himself drift back into obscurity. There hadn't been any news on him in years.

The beeping of two spirit phones ended the conversation for the moment. They both checked the screens for the blinking blue light a little over three blocks away.

"It doesn't look too powerful. I'll take this one. You find Isshin and brief him on the situation," Hitsugaya said, taking off into the night.

"Got it!" Matsumoto called back, heading in the opposite direction.

Karin looked up from her rice, instantly aware of the hollow in town. She cocked her head, trying to sense it's power. It wasn't that big of a threat, but still, it could cause some damage if left unchecked. Wait. There was another spirit energy in the mix. It was familiar, but – no, it couldn't be him. Why would he be in Karakura Town? Karin stood up, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. She'd kill the hollow, and find out what was so important that it called for a captain of the 13 Protection Squads to come all the way to the real world.

The scream of a terrified spirit greeted Hitsugaya as he reached the park. The boy was tripping over himself to get away from the hollow chasing him. The creature was menacing, even for a petty hollow, with eight thick, long legs that stuck out from what looked like the body of a spider and a mane of antenna feeling for spirit energy. At Hitsugaya's appearance, the thing stopped in its tracks, turning toward him with its feelers. He took a fighting stance, preparing himself for a quick fight.

"My, my, you're awfully calm for a man who's about to die!" the hollow cried, lunging forward. Two long fangs grew out of his mouth, aiming for Hitsugaya's chest. The captain jumped, easily avoiding the attack as the hollow's face made contact with the ground.

"Too slow, hollow. You're the one who's about to die," he said, bringing his blade up for the final blow.

"Tilt the goblet to the west – Emerald Grail!" What looked like a metal soccer ball whizzed past, hitting the hollow in the center of its mask. The explosion knocked Hitsugaya back, sending him flying across the park as the hollow dissolved. He managed to land on his feet, eyes flashing wildly to find the source of the attack. Another hollow? No. Why would they attack one of their own? And that wasn't a hollow attack. It was almost like the ginto Ishida used after he'd lost his powers. But there was no way he could be in Karakura Town. Could he?

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself," a female voice said from across the park. As the smoke cleared, Hitsugaya could make out the form of a girl, probably in her teens. Was she the one who'd killed the hollow? She looked familiar, but her spirit energy was too strong to be anyone left around here.

"So, what's 10th Squad Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya doing here in Karakura Town? The war's been over for years, you know," the person said, standing with one hand on her hip as the ball rolled toward her.

"How do you know me?" Hitsugaya asked, glancing around warily. She wasn't a hollow or vizard. And not an arrancar, either. She was just human.

"You'd better hurry up and do the konso before he runs away again," the girl said, nodding to the boy who was now cowering behind the swing set. Hitsugaya sighed at the interference and distractedly tapped the spirit's forehead with the end of his zanpakto.

"Now, who are you?"

"We met before the war. You know my brother, actually – Kurosaki Ichigo." So that was why she had such high spirit energy. Ichigo was her brother. That would make her -

"Karin," he murmured, still not believing this was the same person. She had obviously grown in the years, but there was something else. She looked almost...feminine. Her hair had been pulled into a raven black ponytail, leaving just her bangs to frame her face. Her figure had filled out, as well. She wasn't quite up to Orihime's body, but there were definite curves beneath her plain black tank top and jeans. Aside from her looks, something else had changed over the years. Her eyes. She had always been cynical and sarcastic, but now – now, she seemed angry. That black expression in her eyes was what made him sure she was Ichigo's little sister. It was the look that never seemed to leave his face, even when he was around Orihime. Was it just a part of her maturation, or had something happened to make her like that?

"You've grown," she commented, her voice devoid of the usual nostalgia at meeting an old friend. "You don't look like an elementary student anymore. In fact, I think you might be taller than Ichigo." He forced a laugh. The thought of looking down on Ichigo was certainly an amusing one.

"You've grown, too. You look like a..." Would it insult her to say she looked like a girl? "...woman."

"Why are you here?" she asked, taking no notice of his semi-compliment.

"I've been sent for information. Apparently, there's been some strange hollow activity lately."

"I'll say. They've been showing up every five minutes. I've had to start filling in when your shinigami can't handle them all." There it was. That bitterness. What could have possibly made her like that?

"Well, you won't have to work so hard now. It's convenient that you're here. Matsumoto just went to ask your dad for a place to stay." She flinched. Something passed through her eyes. A pain that had been pushed down to the center of her being and was forcing its way to the surface.

"Captain!" Matsumoto landed on the grass next to him. Her eyes fell on Karin, instantly recognizing her as a Kurosaki.

"What is it, Matsumoto?" he asked when she stayed silent. She glanced at him, then back to Karin, unsure of what to do.

"Captain, I just spoke to Kurosaki Yuzu," Matsumoto started delicately. Karin flinched again, locking her jaw.

"She said that Isshin is...he's-"

"Dead," Karin finished, grinding her teeth. Hitsugaya's eyes grew wide. So that's what had happened.

"When?" he asked. Karin kept her eyes fixed on the ground, refusing to respond.

"Three years ago," Matsumoto said for her. "He had brain cancer." She tried to say it as quietly as possible, but there was no way to keep Karin from hearing. Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, carrying her ball on her hip.

So Kurosaki Isshin was dead. And what a way to go. A great shinigami like that, not taken out by an unnaturally talented enemy, but by the weakness of his own body. That's why she was bitter. She'd watched her father die a slow, painful death, and he'd probably gone mad in the process. His poor daughters.

"And there's something else. Apparently, Yuzu is the only Kurosaki taking care of the clinic. Karin left after Ichigo went to college. Sir, are we really going to stay with someone who has no spirit power?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm sure she'll enjoy your company," Hitsugaya said, getting ready to leave the playground.

"My company? Oh, Captain, are you really going to sleep on the roof again? It's too cold out for that," Matsumoto pouted.

"I'll be fine. You go on ahead. I'll make sure there are no more spirits here.." Matsumoto nodded and headed off, quickly hidden behind the trees and buildings. Hitsugaya sighed. No, he wouldn't be sleeping on the roof this time. But he wouldn't be staying with Yuzu, either.


	2. Chapter 2  Remembering

Well, first of all, thanks for the reviews and favorites and alerts! They were really encouraging. Secondly, I'll be going off to camp the day after tomorrow, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I'll write while I'm out there, but I won't have access to a computer. So it might have to wait until the 21st. But this is finished now, so before I go, I present:

**Chapter 2**

**Remembering**

The streets of Karakura Town had changed quite a bit in the last five years. Parking lots had been expanded. Family businesses had been torn down to make room for chain stores. Parks had been replaced by strips of condominiums and apartments. It had become a bona fide suburban paradise. Complete with a guard dog sleeping lazily outside every home. Still, it had managed to retain that same spirit it had always had. The spirit of power and the will to use it to protect those who needed it. It was that spirit that had convinced Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Uryuu to travel to Soul Society to save Rukia, and then to risk their lives in the fight against the arrancar. It was that spirit that had made Chad keep fighting even though he could barely raise his arm. That spirit had caused him to sacrifice himself, fulfilling his middle school promise to Ichigo. He gave his very life to protect his friends. That was the spirit of Karakura Town.

There was another thing that hadn't changed over time. Hitsugaya landed silently on the sidewalk, smiling slightly as the sight of the overlook greeted him. He'd missed sunset, but the starlit night sky was still clearly visible over the treetops and buildings. This truly was the best place in Karakura Town to see the sky. But he wasn't alone. Another figure stood in his usual spot, staring up at the vast expanse of black.

"I figured you'd come here first," Karin said, not taking her eyes off the glittering stars above. "If you're wondering why we didn't tell Soul Society about my dad, it's because he asked us not to."

"What? Why? If we'd known, we would've had more security in this area. We thought he was here to handle the hollows-"

"He didn't want you to know. Any of you. What do you think it would have been like for him if word had gotten out in Soul Society that the great Captain Kurosaki was dying of incurable brain cancer? He couldn't even look at his own children because he was so ashamed. While he was still sane, that is. He didn't want to be carted off to your medical unit, having endless tests run on him, and all the while, people would walk by and say "What a pity" or "He was such a great fighter." He wanted to die with the tiny shred of dignity he had left." She was fighting to keep control of the tears streaming down her face. Her hands were balled into fists, shaking with rage and pain. Hitsugaya kept quiet, not knowing what to say. There really was nothing he could say. Karin took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. He could tell it had been months, possibly years since, she'd allowed herself to let go like that.

"So now you know," Karin said after a moment, her voice shaking only slightly. "And by the way, you're not staying with me." She walked away before giving him time to respond. For the second time, Hitsugaya was left staring at her back as she disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Captain! I thought you said you weren't going to sleep on the roof again!" Matsumoto called. He could tell by her voice that she was pouting. 

"If you're going to stay here, you should at least come inside!"

"Yes, you can stay here if you like! But you may want to come down. You'll get an awful stain on your nice white outfit if you stay up there," Yuzu called, ever the practical mind. Hitsugaya sighed. It seemed he wouldn't be getting a view of the sky tonight.

"You should try the dinner Yuzu made for us! It's delicious! Though, I must say, it's nothing like what our little Orihime used to cook up for me," Matsumoto sighed, staring at her rice disappointedly.

"Is it entirely polite to compare your hosts' cooking?" Hitsugaya asked, landing easily on the steps of the clinic that was Yuzu's home.

"Oh, I don't mind! Ichigo used to tell me all about what Orihime-chan would make him eat when he would visit her. Actually, I haven't heard from him in a while..." she trailed off, getting a tearful look in her eyes.

"Oh, don't do that! I'm sure he's just busy. College students have to work all the time nowadays to make sure they get a good career when they grow up," Matsumoto said, leaning over so far her ample breasts nearly fell out of her shinigami robes. She patted the younger girl on the head, giving her a wide smile that seemed to cheer her up a bit.

"You're probably right. Ichigo's very hardworking. I'm sure he just has a lot of work to do," Yuzu said, brightening up. "Would you like so rice, Captain Toushirou?"

"No, I'm not hungry," Hitsugaya said quietly, wishing he were back up on the roof. It was nights like this when Matsumoto's constant cheerfulness made him almost nauseas.

"Oh, Captain, you should really eat. You can't go fighting hollows on an empty stomach. It's not healthy," Matsumoto said, holding the rice in front of his face. He nearly choked on the steam before managing to distance himself from the dish.

"Yuzu," he asked, keen to turn the focus of the conversation away from his eating habits, "why don't you live with Karin anymore?" It may have been blunt, but it was the only wording that would get Matsumoto's mind off of the rice. She quieted, turning her attention to a fidgeting Yuzu.

"Well, after...after Dad died," she started, sniffling, "Karin got really...distant. It was so hard for her to watch him get sick. It was like she turned herself off. After Ichigo went to college, she got even worse. She'd go out looking for hollow, even though we have shinigami patrolling the town. She said it was because she wanted to keep Karakura Town safe now that Ichigo was gone, but I knew it was because she wanted to fight. We'd get into fights all the time until, one day, she just left. We...we haven't talked since." Yuzu finished with a sigh, glad the story was over. It was clear she didn't want to talk about her father's death or the split between her and her sister. Hitsugaya stood up, making his way toward the door.

"Captain! Where are you going? You just got here!" Matsumoto started. She sighed and sat down at the look he gave her. She knew where he was going.

* * *

Karin rolled over in bed, her face contorted in pain. 

_There was fire everywhere. Surrounding her. A little girl was on the ground a few feet away, screaming in pain as the fire consumed her. The smoke was too thick to see anything clearly. A baby's crib. A child's coloring book. The unmoving form of an older woman on the floor of the hall. She gasped, her lungs burning for air instead of the smoke that filled them. Her eyes watered uncontrollably, feeling like they would dissolve in her head. She tried to crawl to the woman. Tried to get out. But the flames were everywhere. A beam from the ceiling cracked, sending flaming embers down on top of her. She screamed as the fire melted the skin on her arms and back. Another crack, and the ceiling came down on top of her in a thunderous crash._

Karin awoke, gasping for air. She looked around her, taking account of her surroundings. Her bedroom. In her apartment. She was in bed. It was perfectly fine. There was no fire. Not even a breeze coming in through the window. It was just a dream.

She growled in exasperation and rubbed her palm into her forehead, trying to calm down. She'd been having dreams like this one ever since she'd come across the spirit of that little boy in the cockatiel. Whenever she came in contact with a spirit, she'd have flashes of their last moments as humans. It used to make her physically ill, but she'd managed to gain some control over it. Most of the time, she could suppress the images entirely. But with the more traumatic deaths, she'd wake up constantly throughout the night, reliving them over and over again. It was one of the many aspects of her powers she hadn't gotten used to over the years.

She threw the covers aside and padded into the kitchen for a glass of water. Even if it was only a dream, all that smoke had made her throat dry. The tap in the tiny apartment wasn't very good. It barely even worked, but the water was clean. She didn't really mind the size of her living space. It gave her all she needed. A kitchen. A place to sit. A bedroom. A bathroom. And it was cheap. Cheap enough to be affordable on her meager pay. It was nothing compared to her old home above the Kurosaki Clinic, but that was Yuzu's now. Karin rolled her eyes, just thinking about how long her twin sister spent cleaning up a house that no one else even saw. But that was Yuzu.

Her smirk disappeared. That spirit energy. Where was he? On the roof? She hurried over to the window, leaving her water on the counter, and looked up. He was there, alright. Sitting on her roof and looking up at the stars, casual as could be. She hopped out the window, easily climbing up the vines that covered the side of the building.

"You know, you're starting to turn into a stalker," she said once she'd found her balance on the leaky rooftop. The white-haired shinigami continued his survey of the sky, his face grave.

"It sounded like you were having a nightmare earlier," he stated simply. She pursed her lips. He'd been listening that intently?

"It was nothing. A little imprinted memory, that's all." Hitsugaya seemed unsure of what she meant, but he didn't question her further. They sat there a moment, neither one willing to speak first. What did they have to say to one another? Finally, Karin broke the silence.

"Why are you here?" He pondered this quietly before answering.

"This place has a good view of the sky," he said simply.

"The clinic has a better one," she said, eyeing him cynically. He sighed and finally turned to look at her.

"Yuzu told us why you left," he said. She scoffed, an indignant sneer that made Hitsugaya's brow furrow.

"I highly doubt Yuzu knows why I left," Karin said, her voice dripping with bitterness.

"Then why don't you tell me?" He fixed his gaze on her, his serious eyes practically boring holes into the side of his head. She kept her eyes fixed on the sky above, clenching and unclenching her jaw as she figured out how, or if she should respond. Did she really have to tell him why? It wasn't any of his business why she left. He'd already overstepped his bounds by going to her sister and then showing up here on her roof in the middle of the night. No, she didn't have to tell him. But she couldn't not tell him. He'd just keep hanging around until she gave up. Might as well save herself the trouble.

"I couldn't stand it anymore. Living in that house. Working in my dad's clinic. Watching Yuzu acting the same as she always did. It was too...normal. Like he never even existed. I couldn't walk around the house that he built and made an idiot of himself in everyday and know that he would never be there again. I just couldn't do it." She stopped before the tears came. Damnit! Why did she only get like this around him? She hadn't cried for three years. Then, suddenly, he showed up, and her eyes were like broken water towers. What was it about him that made her so weak? Maybe it was the fact that he was a shinigami captain, like her father. Or maybe that he reminded her of a time when her father was still alive. Whatever the reason, she hated it. She couldn't be like this anymore. She wouldn't.

"I have to get some decent sleep," she said briskly, already halfway down the wall of vines. Hitsugaya made no move to stop her. For once, she was grateful. _He may be a stalker who turns me into a crybaby,_ she thought, _but he knows when to let things go, at least._

She crawled into bed, still feeling his presence above her and knowing this would be an entirely sleepless night.

* * *

Well, there's Chapter 2! Anywhoo, I may not be on for a while, but that doesn't mean I don't care about reviews! Favorites and Alerts are great, but reviews are even better! They're a writer's bread and butter! So please, R&R! See y'all on the 21st! 


	3. Chapter 3 Old Friends

Hey, guys! Sorry for the 10-day delay! But I got home on the 21st, and the new Harry Potter book was waiting for me! Then I went to camp for another week. Woohoo!! And then our internet hasn't been working for the past couple of days, so it's been kinda crazy around here. lol Anyhoo, despite the waiting(which I'm so grateful that you did), here it is!

**Chapter 3**

**Old Friends**

"Shirou-chan?" A pair of big brown eyes stared back at him through the screen as though they were looking at a ghost.

"It's good to see you again, Hinamori," Hitsugaya said, letting a relieved grin crease his features at the sight of his old friend. They hadn't seen each other for months, ever since she'd taken over as the head of the Intelligence and Information Department.

Most people had been shocked that she'd been promoted to that level. She'd been in an out-of-reality state for close to a year after Aizen's fake death and subsequent betrayal. She'd refused to admit his true nature and had even begged Hitsugaya to spare his life on more than one occaison. She'd been separated from the rest of Soul Society and placed in the mental ward of the clinic for her own good. Things had only gotten worse after Aizen's final defeat. She'd become almost derranged and had tried to attack Hitsugaya on one of his many visits to her room, screaming that he'd betrayed her in killing Aizen.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. She returned to her post of lieutenant better than ever, having fully recovered from her lapse in sanity. The doctors attributed her sudden improvement to an eye-opening meeting with her school-friend and fellow-lieutenant, Kira. At first, Toushirou had been resentful that he hadn't been the one to bring her out of her grief-stricken delusions. He had been her closest friend since before the academy and the only person who continued to visit her after she'd been admitted to the hospital. But he'd realized with the first beaming smile she'd sent his way that he was just glad she was back. He didn't care why.

After her miraculous recovery, Hinamori had returned to the 13 Protection Squads and slowly regained her credibility. Though many watched anxiously for any sign of a relapse, she had risen through the ranks quickly, soon taking over Aizen's former position as captain of Squad 5.

And now she was standing before him, her grainy image projected through the giant screen that he and Matsumoto had set up in what had once been Ichigo's bedroom. Her figure had matured over the years, though not to the extent that his had. She was only two or three inches taller, her curves only slightly more pronounced than they had been previously. She'd abandoned her lace-covered bun. Her hair now hung just past her shoulders, the front part pulled back and held with two chopsticks that could be used as weapons in case of an emergency. Her white captain's robe, bearing the symbol of Squad 5, signified her rank. Though unlike most captains, she wore hers wrapped tightly around her, tied off with a black string at her waist. Despite all her changes, she still looked to young to be a shinigami. She was just destined to look childish.

"S-Shirou-chan, what are you doing in the human world?" Hinamori asked, looking dumbfounded. Hitsugaya ignored the annoying nickname. She'd never kept her promise to stop calling him that, even when he'd become a captain and her superior. He'd accepted long ago that it would never go away.

"I was sent here by the General-Commander to gather information," Hitsugaya said. Her look of confusion deepened.

"That's strange. I wonder why he didn't tell me. I could've sent one of my men instead of using a captain," she said, looking disturbed.

"It may be that he wanted someone who was familiar with Karakura Town." She seemed to ponder this for a moment, her brow furrowed, before she looked up, brushing away her concern as easily as if it were an annoying insect.

"That's probably it. Things have just been so hectic around here lately. We found a group of arrancar in Tokyo that have apparently been in hiding since the war, and it took half of Kenpachi's squad to finish them off. I was in a bit of trouble for not detecting them sooner, but in my defense, they were very well hidden." Hitsugaya listened to her babble on, smiling slightly at her overly-chipper narrative. She'd been like this ever since her release from the hospital. She was most likely trying to make sure everyone knew she had entirely recovered by being too cheerful and talkative for anyone to suspect her of incompetence. She was determined to win back her reputation, which she had succeeded in, save for a select few who still watched her with a wary eye.

"Anyway, I assume that you have something to report if you've taken the trouble to contact me," Hinamori finished, looking at him inquisitively. He'd thought about this all through the night. He knew Karin didn't want news of her father's death to reach Soul Society, but it was a security hazard for the Information Department not to know. He had to tell them.

"Yes, I have news on Kurosaki Isshin." A strange look flashed through Hinamori's eyes at the sound of the former-captain's name, but it was gone so fast that Hitsugaya was left wondering if it was ever there at all.

"Oh, yes, Captain Kurosaki. How is he doing?" she asked brightly.

"He died three years ago," Hitsugaya said quietly. Hinamori's eyebrows went up.

"What? I wasn't aware of any hollow that powerful in Karakura Town."

"It wasn't a hollow. He was killed by brain cancer," he said, praying Karin wouldn't hate him for his betrayal of her secret. It had to be done.

"What? But how could that be? Why weren't we informed of this?" she asked, shock spread clear across her face.

"Apparently, he requested that you not be. I thought the General-Commander should know, though."

"Yes, this will definitely affect our policies concerning Karakura Town from now on," she said, chewing on her lip. "But that's just shocking. A shinigami like Captain Kurosaki brought down by illness of all things. It must have been terrible for his family." Hitsugaya immediately thought back to Karin, secluded in her tiny apartment, forcing back tears and nightmares all alone. And Yuzu, living in and running the clinic on her own, her whole family either moved away or dead. And what about Ichigo? How had his father's death affected him? The three living Kurosaki's, split apart by the death of the one parent they had left.

"Well, I'll be sure to tell the General-Commander about this. We'll definitely be tighter on security in that area from now on. And to think we went all this time thinking Captain Kurosaki would be there to handle things," Hinamori said more to herself than him.

"Tell the General-Commander, but be discreet about it. I don't want all of Soul Society whispering about it behind K- his children's backs." He'd barely stopped himself from saying Karin. Of course, Hinamori wouldn't know who Karin was, but he still figured it would be better to leave her out of it.

"Oh, yes. I'm sure Ichigo's been through enough already without having to fight off rumors of his father's death. I'll only tell those who need to know."

"Thanks, Hinamori." She smiled back at him, simply happy to be some help. She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by the beeping of a spirit phone. Hitsugaya checked the screen. The hollow was a few minutes away. He looked up, not wanting to end the conversation.

"Go do what you have to do," Hinamori said, deciding the matter for him. He smiled his appreciation before dashing out the window into the blinding sun.

Hitsugaya checked his spirit phone again as he ran. The hollow had changed direction in the few seconds it had taken him to get moving. It was headed toward the overlook. He picked up his pace and took off on the rooftops. It didn't seem very powerful, but at this time of day, there would be a good-sized crowd gathered in the park a stone's throw from its location.

He turned a corner and barely managed to duck behind the side of a building as a massive explosion rocked the street. Karin was already there and seemed to have a handle on the situation. Seeing no need to rush in, Hitsugaya stood back to watch.

Karin was obviously not a shinigami. In fact, her only weapon seemed to be the metal ball he'd seen her using the night before. For a moment, he wondered whether she was still using a soccer ball to fight hollows, but this was different. As she kicked it at the monster, she said some sort of an incantation. When she'd used it before, it had caused the ball to explode. She'd most likely been aiming for it to go off near the hollow's head. Now, though, the ball split and formed five smaller fragments, which surrounded the hollow in a pentagon-type shield. Karin put her hands together and muttered another activation phrase. Inside the shield, the hollow exploded, dissolving in screams of agony. The force of the attack shook the ground where Hitsugaya was standing, forcing him to hold on to the building for support. The passersby, however, didn't seem to notice anything as they passed right through him on their way inside. What was that? Some sort of spiritual explosion?

"You can come out now," Karin called as the ball reformed and rolled toward her. Hitsugaya took a few steps further, noticing the area showed no signs of damage.

"I got the idea from Ishida after he'd lost his Quincy powers. It's like his ginto, except that it can separate and reform at my command," Karin said, holding up the ball proudly.

"How can it produce those explosions without causing any damage to the surrounding area?" Hitsugaya asked, examining the ball closely. Its surface was like pure, flawless silver. How did she make this?

"It uses pure spirit energy with enough force to blow apart a hollow, but I control its power. I can stop the explosion before it causes any damage to its physical surroundings. It's something my father helped me develop." A look passed through Karin's eyes that he had never seen before. A look of such intense sadness that he nearly cried himself. And yet, there it remained, trapped inside her tough exterior. Her eyes didn't even begin to water.

"You have good fighting skills," Hitsugaya said, if only to give her an escape from that line of conversation. She took it.

"Yeah, well, it runs in the family," she said, starting off down the path to the overlook.

"So does a history with the shinigami." She scoffed, her pained expression now turning to one of disdain.

"And why would I want anything to do with Soul Society?" she said, bitterness again taking over her voice.

"You say it like we've hurt you personally," Hitsugaya said, not understanding why she would have anything against Soul Society. Both her brother and father were honored members of the shinigami and had fought to protect it. Her own life had been saved because of their attachments more than once. So what had Soul Society done to earn that attitude?

"Are you really trying to tell me you don't know?" she asked, watching him incredulously. She rolled her eyes at his dumbfounded look.

"After my father died, Ichigo picked up his efforts against hollow. One night, he didn't come home, so I went out looking for him. I found him lying in the street, nearly dead. I was trying to bring him back to the clinic when one of your shinigami came out of no where and attacked us. I was still learning to control my powers then, and Ichigo was too injured to fight. We would have been dead if Urahara hadn't shown up and fought him off."

"What? That's impossible! Soul Society would never have attacked Ichigo. Whoever it was, he must have been acting without orders," Hitsugaya said, not willing to believe that the General-Commander would really order an attack on the Kurosaki's. That family was their only line of security in Karakura Town. Who would risk that?

"I don't know who it was. They wore a mask. But I can tell you one thing. They were definitely from Soul Society, and judging by the way they fought, they had to be higher up in the ranks," she finished, piercing him with her gaze. She didn't care if the attacker had been a rogue shinigami. She just knew that it came from Soul Society, and that meant she couldn't trust any shinigami. Not even him.

"Karin, I don't know who attacked you and Ichigo, but I can tell you that they were not supported by Soul Society. One rogue shinigami doesn't represent all of us," Hitsugaya said, praying she wouldn't hold him to the same standard as the rest of Soul Society.

"If that's true, then why was there never an investigation? Ichigo told your General-Commander what happened, but you never tried to figure out what happened? Where was your security then?" she asked indignantly.

"I don't know what happened after Soul Society was informed of the attack. I never heard about it until now. But I can tell you that we would never attack your family. You have to believe me," Hitsugaya said desperately. "Why would Soul Society target you?"

"I don't know," she said, still unbelieving. "Why don't you ask your leader? I'm sure he'd have something interesting to say."

* * *

Well, there it is, people! Remember, I won't post more unless I get reviews! Yay! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and alerted and favorited! It all made my...two weeks! lol 


	4. Chapter 4 Ghost Town

Well, it didn't take as long as the last chapter, that's for sure! Thanks for all the reviews and yadda yadda yadda. Well, uh...there's not much more to say, so...here ya go!

**Chapter 4**

**Ghost Town**

"What? That's impossible!" Hitsugaya sighed. For the second time that day, he was standing in front of the giant screen, staring up at the projected image of Hinamori, whose expression was dripping with confusion and shock.

"Shirou-chan, if someone were sent to the human world to attack Kurosaki Ichigo, I would know about it. There aren't any records of it. And besides, it makes no sense. Why would Soul Society want Ichigo dead?" That was the same question Hitsugaya had been asking himself for the past few hours. Why would Soul Society target Ichigo? He was doing their job for them in Karakura Town, and taking down double the hollow an average shinigami would be able to handle. He was a valuable asset to the cause. So why would he be attacked?

"I'm sorry, Hitsugaya-kun, but I think your source has some bad information," Hinamori said, a sympathetic look on her face. That's what it seemed like, but Karin had been there. She'd seen the shinigami attack her brother. They both would have died if Urahara hadn't shown up. That was it. Urahara had to have seen what happened. He could probably give a better account of what the attacker looked like, possibly even their rank.

"Sorry, Momo, but I have to go," he said, hurriedly slinging his zanpakto over his back.

"What? Where are you going?" Hinamori asked, looking dazed by his abrupt goodbye.

"To get another side of the story." Hinamori seemed confused, but nodded acceptingly as the screen went blank.

"Where are you going, Captain? I haven't detected any hollow in the area," Rangiku said, coming up from the kitchen.

"I'm going to see if Urahara can clear up the situation," Hitsugaya said, already heading for the window.

"I'll come, too. I've had nothing to do all day but shop," Matsumoto said, a pout in her voice, though he wasn't convinced she was that unhappy with the situation. Still, he didn't argue. It was always best not to travel alone.

The two leaped out the window and onto a rooftop across the street without making a sound. Even if they had, it wouldn't have mattered. No one was around to hear them, much less see them, anyway. Yet it was always good to keep a low profile. There were always dark corners and secluded alleyways for enemies to be lurking in, even if his spirit phone hadn't picked anything up.

As if on cue, he heard footsteps on the street below him. They weren't as catlike as his and Matsumoto's, but they were keeping pace easily. He motioned to his lieutenant, and both stopped their silent run, crouching low to the rooftop as they searched the streets for their pursuer. The avenue was silent, still as it should have been at an ungodly hour past midnight. He stood up slowly, Matsumoto doing the same, and was just about to continue on when he felt a sudden whoosh on his left side. A pair of sneakered feet landed lightly on the rooftop behind them as they both whirled around in shock.

"You two look like you've seen a ghost," Karin said, standing before them, hands on her hips. Hitsugaya let out a relieved sigh.

"How did you do that?" Matsumoto asked, eyeing her suspiciously. Karin returned the look.

"I learned some things from Ichigo before he went off to college. One of them being how to mask my spirit energy. You guys should really work on that," she said casually. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. Of course they knew how to mask their spirit energy. They weren't exactly on a stealth mission at the moment. Matsumoto seemed affronted, but didn't press the issue.

"I guess you do pretty well, for a human," she said in lieu of an argument. She put just enough emphasis on the ending for the compliment to sound condescending. Karin raised her eyebrows.

"I guess you do pretty well, too, for a woman with such b-"

"We need to keep moving," Hitsugaya said in exasperation before Karin could finish her sentence. Mastumoto nodded, sparing time to share one unfriendly look with the younger girl before taking off for Urahara's shop. Karin scoffed under her breath and followed, easily keeping up with the two much more experienced shinigami.

"So where are we going?" she asked as they hurried across the rooftops and street lamps of Karakura Town.

"To Urahara's shop. Why are you coming with us?" Hitsugaya responded, throwing her a curious glance. She'd seemed quite adamant before about not wanting anything to do with Soul Society or its shinigami. What had changed?

"I figured you were doing some sort of investigation about the attack on Ichigo. If any shinigami would want to find out the truth, I knew it would be you." She sped up to reach Matsumoto, leaving him to figure out what she meant. Her statement seemed plain enough. She'd known he wouldn't accept anything less than what he found out on his own. And yet, there was something behind them. It was almost as if she'd known he would be the only one to care why she and her brother had been attacked. She trusted him. _Though she'd never admit it, _he muttered as an afterthought.

They reached Urahara's shop quickly, landing silently in the front lot. It looked exactly the same as the last time he'd seen it. A large, badly swept yard. A tiny, though brightly colored, building that gave no hint to the expansive training room beneath it. Bad lighting. The kind of place one would expect to see badly dressed hitmen talking suspiciously in corners. He doubted whether the shop got any customers besides Rukia and other shinigami. Probably not.

"Do you really think Urahara will be able to tell us anything useful, Captain?" Matsumoto asked, her dislike for the place clearly spread across her face.

"He must have gotten a good look at the attacker. Besides, Urahara Kisuke knows things about Soul Society that not even Kuchiki Byakuya has heard a whisper of," Hitsugaya said, hoping that infinite knowledge would prove useful in some way. He looked over to Karin.

"I hope you're right. I haven't seen him since that night," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

The three approached the shop quietly, checking for any booby traps the ex-captain might have left lying around. Hitsugaya went first, cautiously sliding the door open.

The shop was eerily silent. The shelves were untouched, as usual. The moonlight filtered in through the rice paper walls, lighting the layer of dust on the floor. He glanced around for footprints as signs of the day's activities. There were none. Hitsugaya took a steadying breath and continued, making his way through the rows of outdated merchandise. Matsumoto and Karin followed, mirroring his silent manner.

The group came to the back of the shop, where two doors led off to the storage room and living quarters. He nodded to Matsumoto to take the storage room as he and Karin continued through the sliding doors to the living area. The main room was deserted, just like the shop, with a fine layer of dust covering the furnishings. The bedrooms, too, showed no signs of having been lived in. The beds were made. The clothes put away. It all struck him as very un-Urahara.

It was like a museum. Something that resembled a home but was eerily perfect. There was no evidence that anyone had entered the place in months, let alone lived in it. With two kids and a gaggle of mod souls, there should have been something out of place. But there was no movement. No life. Nothing. Just an empty house.

"There's no sign of him anywhere, or those creepy little kids that are always hanging around," Matsumoto said once they had regrouped in the main room.

"It's like they just packed up and left," Karin said in a hushed voice, glancing around at the deserted living space.

"Forget the packing. They just left," Hitsugaya said, noting that all clothes and personal accessories had been tucked away in their proper places.

"But why would they leave? Especially since Ichigo's gone, we need as much help fighting hollow as we can get," Karin said, reflecting the thoughts of the entire group.

"There's no signs of a struggle. No one dragged them out," Matsumoto said, her expression serious. She knew as well as he did that something was going on if Urahara was gone.

"We should check the training room," Hitsugaya said, refusing to give in to the panic that was setting in. If Urahara was gone, for whatever reason, they were on their own in facing whatever was going on. If Soul Society had no records of it, and the only person who could have provided any insight was no where to be found, how would they ever find out what had really happened that night or who was behind it? That attack could have meant much worse than a simple grudge against Ichigo. He didn't know what else could be going on, but the last time there was confusion to this extent in Soul Society, Aizen almost destroyed everything Hitsugaya cared about, including Hinamori and Karin. He wouldn't let that happen again.

"Thi- This place is huge," Karin gasped once they had made it into the training room, marveling at the massive expanse of desert-like terrain built under the tiny shop. Her face was painted with shock, and he could see the wonder in her eyes as clearly as the sun. He smiled slightly, knowing the expression would be ten times more exaggerated if she ever went to Soul Society.

"Check the whole place," he called as they shot off in separate directions, though he could already tell there was no one down here. He scanned the area quickly, checking behind the larger boulders and outcroppings, but it was useless. Urahara was obviously not in his shop.

"Where could he have gone? And why would he leave without telling anyone?" Karin asked, her wonder turned to frustration. And an almost undetectable tone of fear.

"I don't think he would have left of his own free will. Not after a blatant attack on the only shinigami guarding Karakura Town," Hitsugaya said, his brow furrowed in thought.

"But we would be able to tell if he was forced to leave. There are no signs of a fight, and there's no trace of spirit energy on the building," Matsumoto said. He could tell she was as disturbed as Karin. She was just able to hide it better.

"No, there wouldn't be any signs. Not if someone was very meticulous in cleaning up after themselves," Hitsugaya said. The other two stared, unable to respond. The thought that someone was so powerful that they could defeat Urahara and his six fighting live-ins, along with Yoruichi, and then be able to cover it up so well that there was no trace – it was unimaginable. Who had that kind of power?

Aizen. The name hung in the air between them like a dead weight. Aizen was the only shinigami capable of something like that. But that was impossible. Aizen had been dead for years. Hitsugaya had delivered the killing blow himself. He'd watched him die. There was no way he was still alive, let alone well enough to take on two former-captains as legendary as Urahara and Yoruichi.

But who else could they turn to? The only person more powerful than Aizen was Yamamoto. The very heart of Soul Society. But he would never attack his own. Then again, the shinigami who attacked Ichigo was from Soul Society. Was it possible that the General-Commander had targeted Ichigo, then gone after Urahara for getting in the way. If so, the cover-up was so airtight that not even the head of the Intelligence and Information Department knew a thing about it. Was Yamamoto really capable of that?

"We should leave," Matsumoto said, clearly unnerved by the ghost-like quality of the place. The three made their way up through the shop and out on the street, not saying a word. They had barely walked ten feet off the property when a rush of spiritual pressure stopped them. It was powerful. Too powerful for an average hollow. Hitsugaya readjusted his footing to stay standing. Matsumoto grabbed a nearby street lamp for support. Karin dropped to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. This was bad.

"I see I've finally found you, shinigami. We have a score to settle."

* * *

Yay! My first real cliffhanger! Well, anyways, that was chapter 4, and I hope you liked it! There'll be more coming soon, though I should start my summer reading and AP work at some point in the next three weeks. lol Don't forget to review, review, review!!! 


	5. Chapter 5 Exequias

I'm EXTREMELY sorry for the long wait! Just know that updates will be erratic from now on because of everything I'm involved in. Anywhoo, I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter because I'm not particularly good at battle scenes, but oh, well. I present to you:

**Chapter 5**

**Exequias **

Karin dropped to her knees, feeling the weight of the intense spiritual pressure forcing her closer and closer to the pavement. She gasped for breath and stared up at the thing standing before her through tears welling up in her eyes. So this was an arrancar. She'd heard her father and Ichigo talk about them during the war, but she'd never met one face to face. The sheer strength of this thing was on a scale entirely beyond anything she'd ever fought before. She could feel it sapping the life out of her. She could barely move her hands across the concrete, let alone stand up and summon any strength. There was no way she would be able to fight.

She looked over to Matsumoto, visibly weakened by the spiritual pressure, and Hitsugaya, gritting his teeth against the urge to crumple to the ground. Slowly, painfully, he drew his zanpakuto, his lieutenant doing the same. They stood there, biding their time, hoping to become accustomed to the spiritual pressure the mammoth exuded. They didn't want to fight him just yet. The arrancar realized this, too, and let out a long, high-pitched cackle that reverberated through Karin's body like thunder.

"Poor thing. Are you really afraid of me? Aren't you the infamous Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya? The one who nearly killed Lord Aizen before Ichigo Kurosaki finished him off? Strange, I never would have imagined him getting taken out by such a little whelp," the arrancar spat out, his voice filled with hateful mockery. Hitsugaya's eyes flashed with rage, but he didn't acknowledge the insult.

"You're powerful," he said, readjusting his footing yet again. "What's your name?" The arrancar hissed in disgust.

"There's no need for someone like you to know my name. The only thing you need to know is that I am an Exequias, and you're next on my list to be executed."

"An Exequias? Who sent you?" Hitsugaya asked, his mind working furiously.

"Too many questions!" the Exequias growled, charging forward, its claws outstretched. Hitsugaya jumped onto a neighboring rooftop a safe distance away.

"Get ready, Exequias. Bankai."

Slowly, ice began to overtake the hilt of his zanpakuto, spreading up his arm and across his back. Two great ice wings formed behind him, followed by three flowers of ice above his head. He hung suspended in the air, glaring at the Exequias with a deadly calm.

Karin stared in amazement. So this was Hitsugaya's Bankai. All through the war, she'd never been close enough to him during a battle to see it. But now…it was majestic.

"This is Daiguren Hyorinmaru. I'm sure you two will get along," he said with a look of utmost composure. In an instant, he flew at the Exequias, blade poised to strike. Karin couldn't see more than a blur as he streaked through the air, aiming at the arrancar's chest in what would have been a fatal blow. His opponent was faster, though, blocking him with one gigantic arm. Hitsugaya went reeling through the window of a nearby building, smashing through the layers of glass and concrete. The Exequias cackled again, thrilled at his blow.

"Captain!" Matsumoto cried, dashing to the gaping hole her superior had created. She was stopped by one powerful swing of the arrancar's arm, sending her whirling through the air. She stopped herself in midair, a lethal glint in her eye as she wiped a trail of blood from her mouth.

"You'll pay for that," she said, taking a deep breath as she gathered all her strength. "Bankai."

There was a hissing noise, and Matsumoto's zanpakuto dissolved into ash. A moment later, the pieces came together to form a colossal grey leopard, four stories tall at its full height. It hissed, showing its window-sized teeth. Karin pushed herself back against a wall, feeling that she did not want to be in the way of whatever that cat was scratching at.

"My Bankai, Kagezetsumei Haineko," Matsumoto said proudly. "You're lucky. You're the first hollow to see her. She thinks you look yummy."

"Oh, look at the little pussy cat," the arrancar said tauntingly. "Come here, little kitty. I'll give you a treat."

The cat hissed again, recoiling onto its haunches before lunging forward. It flew at the Exequias with claws outstretched, nails lengthening as they emerged from the fur. The arrancar was shocked into silence for a split-second, unable to move. It was just long enough for the cat to strike, sinking its claws into the arrancar's frame, powerful jaws aimed for its head. The thing howled in pain as blood poured from its wounds.

"You bitch!" A red flash of light shot from the arrancar's mouth, piercing the cat's head. The Bankai dissolved and reformed behind Matsumoto, who stood imposingly, watching the Exequias writhe in pain.

"It's not over yet. Takai nigiri!" The cat pounced again. This time, though, something was different. It opened its mouth fully, expanding until the cavity was big enough to encompass the arrancar's entire body. The shock had worn off, though, and he sent another cero blast at the creature. This one bypassed the cat altogether, instead aiming for an unprepared Matsumoto. She leaped back, but not before the red light caught up with her. She landed with a sickening thud a good fifty feet away and lay unmoving. A pool of blood began to gather around her as the creature advanced.

"Leave her alone, you bastard!" Karin shouted, somehow finding the strength to stand. The Exequias turned to her, looking entirely as though this was the first time he had noticed her.

"Oho! Another little kitty cat. No, you're more of a mouse. You don't even have any claws to scratch with. Why, you're just a human. Oh, this should be easy." The arrancar raised its arm, preparing for a crushing blow. "I'm not even going to waste my spirit energy on you."

Karin closed her eyes as the massive fist plummeted down on her. She swallowed, preparing herself for an instant of intense pain and then…nothing. But it never came. Instead, she felt the breeze of something dashing by just in front of her and opened her eyes to see the Exequias staggering back, clutching its stump of a hand.

"You-you-"

"Don't give up on me so easily, hollow." Karin looked up at Hitsugaya, floating above her like a protecting angel. He was bruised and bloody. His wings were chipped and cracked. He only had one flower left hanging above him. But his calm never faltered. He glared at the Exequias, the intent to kill pouring out of him. Hyorinmaru was at his side, dripping with the arrancar's blood. Slowly, he brought it before him and closed his eyes.

"Ryusenka." Instantly, a wall of ice rose up around the Exequias, surrounding him. A moment later, the ice shattered, the arrancar along with it. The spiritual pressure disappeared, and Hitsugaya dropped to the ground, his Bankai dissolving. The battle was over.


End file.
